Best for: Wine and food lovers.Claim to fame: Home of novelist Jack London, whose cottage and grave are in Jack London State Historic Park.Don't miss: Sonoma County Fair, late July to early August.Getting there: One- to two-hour drive from San Francisco/Oakland. Tourism information:sonomacounty.com

This one-story Spanish/Mediterranean-style condo is in a 25-unit development five blocks from the town square.Low price: $529,900Bedrooms: 2Bathrooms: 2Size: 1,436 square feetFeatures: Open floor plan, cathedral ceilings, fireplace, deck, two-car garage. Common amenities include swimming pool.

By Larry Olmsted, Special for USA TODAY

For years, Sonoma has been called the "next Napa," a reference to its more developed sister valley in the nation's top winemaking region of Northern California. That honor now shifts to some other up-and-coming area, because Sonoma is no longer the "next" anything. Sonoma has arrived.

Both Sonoma and Napa counties begin just north of the San Francisco Bay Area. Sonoma caught up with Napa in wine quality years ago, but it took longer to catch up in resort, residential, shopping and dining infrastructure. Long a second-home choice for Bay Area urbanites, Sonoma is now casting a far wider net.

The major attraction is still the wine lifestyle. Wineries, farms, top restaurants and makers of artisanal food create an atmosphere of good living — a homegrown Tuscany or Provence.

"In the past five years, it has really come into its own," says Jill Silvas, owner of the region's Morgan Lane Real Estate. "The Sonoma Jazz Festival gets the biggest headliners. The Sonoma Film Festival does well. There are fabulous things to do every month of the year."

Conditions that produce excellent grapes keep Sonoma homes and restaurants well stocked with fresh produce, cheese and olive oil. Grapes grow best in great weather, something Sonoma has plenty of. In fact, those experiencing San Francisco's famous fog and damp often get an increase of up to 25 degrees simply by crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. Residents play golf and grill outdoors all year long.

Most second-home interest is within weekend driving distance of San Francisco/Oakland. The area includes the Sonoma Valley in the south, stretching about 10 miles north from the town of Sonoma, encompassing Glen Ellen and Kenwood. This is "old" Sonoma, where development is limited. In Sonoma town, residents walk to a village green encircled with shops, restaurants and wineries.

North of Sonoma Valley is Santa Rosa, the county's largest city and commercial center, and next is Healdsburg, where much of the recent development has been. "There is a fantastic new development north of Santa Rosa called Mayacama, very high-end with a beautiful golf course," Silvas says.

A look at three Sonoma County neighborhoods:

•Town of Sonoma. With fewer than 9,000 residents, Sonoma mixes European lifestyle with the quaintness of a New England village. Jill Silvas, owner of Morgan Lane Real Estate, says prices start at about $500,000 for a two-bedroom, two-bath condo, and a typical four-bedroom house on half-acre runs $2.5 million to $3 million.

•Healdsburg. Downtown is similar to Sonoma with shops and eateries around a main green, but many establishments are newer, and there's more of a resort atmosphere with deluxe lodging and spas. The residential area also is much broader. A handful of two- and three-bedroom houses are available for the mid-$200,000s, and a few three- to five-bedrooms go for more than $3 million, but most properties fall between $300,000 and $2 million.

•Mayacama. Between Santa Rosa and Healdsburg, this gated development (mayacama.com) quickly has become a premiere golf community with its Jack Nicklaus signature course. In addition to traditional clubhouse golf storage, all members get a second locker — for wine. A few lots for custom homes remain, typically about 1½ acres and $1.3 million. Mayacama recently introduced fractional ownership in 30 casitas, villas and homes with shares ranging from $225,000 to $1.65 million.

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